ETERNAL CITY

Despite its reliance on genre clichés, this traditional horror novel from Arthur Ellis Award–winner Nancy Kilpatrick and her lesser known co-author offers its fair share of chills. To a remote location (northern Ontario), a lone woman (Claire Mowatt) comes to settle the inheritance of a mysteriously dead relative (her psychic Aunt Lillian). A virtuous romantic interest warns her of Dark Things, while a sinister would-be lover, the CEO of the Nirvana Corporation, builders of the gated community of Eternal City, wants to buy her land. The plot proceeds much as seasoned horror fans would expect. While the stupidity of villainous vampires in allowing sewage to flow untreated into the local lake undermines credibility, some strong secondary characters, like the corrupt but ultimately valiant cop Jack Williams and the abused boy Earl, give the story a lift. Few readers will achieve Nirvana and the book's fame may not be Eternal, but the audience for accessible and not overly long horror novels may turn out for this one. (Jan.)

Forecast:Speculation on the relationship between the two authors—the publisher coyly declines to comment—may spark some extra sales.